Table 2 Studies using single VOCs for the diagnosis of various pulmonary diseases (diseased vs. healthy controls)

Lärstad (2007)

Ethane

Asthma

13

N.S.

=

N.S.

Controls

14

p > 0.05

[21]

Pentane

N.S.

=

N.S.

p > 0.05

Isoprene

113

ppb^∞

<

143

ppb^∞

p < 0.05

Olopade (1997)

Pentane

Acute asthma

12

8.4 ± 2.9

nmol/L*

>

2.6 ± 0.2

nmol/L*

Controls

17

p < 0.05

[23]

Pentane

Stable asthma

11

3.6 ± 0.4

nmol/L*

=

2.6 ± 0.2

nmol/L*

Controls

17

p > 0.05

Paredi (2000)

Ethane**

Steroid naïve asthma

12

2.06 ± 0.30

ppb*

>

0.88 ± 0.09

ppb*

Controls

14

p < 0.01

[24]

Paredi (2000)

Ethane**

Steroid naïve COPD

12

2.77 ± 0.25

ppb*

>

0.88 ± 0.09

ppb*

Controls

14

p < 0.05

[30]

Barker (2006)

Pentane**

CF

20

0.36 (0.24-0.48)

ppb^#

>

0.21 (0.13-0.29)

ppb^#

Controls

20

p < 0.05

[34]

Dimethyl Sulphide**

3.89 (2.24-5.54)

ppb^#

<

7.58 (5.73-9.43)

ppb^#

p < 0.01

Ethane**

0.39 (−0.04-0.82)

ppb^#

=

0.10 (−0.25-0.44)

ppb^#

p > 0.05

Propane, methanol, ethanol, acetone, isoprene, benzene, toluene, limonene

-

=

-

p > 0.05

Kamboures (2005)

Carbonyl sulphide**

CF

20

- 110 ± 60

pptv^#

>

- 250 ± 20

pptv^#

Controls

23

p < 0.001

[37]

Dimethyl sulphide

4,780 ± 1,350

pptv^#

=

3,920 ± 680

pptv^#

p > 0.05

Carbon sulphide**

26 ± 38

pptv^#

>

- 17 ± 15

pptv^#

p < 0.05

McGrath (2000)

Isoprene

CF during exacerbation

12

125 ± 23

pmol·min·kg^-1*

<

164 ± 20

pmol·min·kg^-1*

Controls

12

p < 0.05

[38]

Isoprene

CF after exacerbation

12

188 ± 23

pmol·min·kg^-1*

=

164 ± 20

pmol·min·kg^-1*

Controls

12

p > 0.05

Paredi (2000)

Ethane**

Steroid naïve CF

23

1.99 ± 0.20

ppb*

>

0.82 ± 0.09

ppb*

Controls

14

p < 0.05

[39]

Shestivska (2011)

Methyl thiocyanate

CF

28

7 (2–21)

ppbv^~

=

8 (5–8)

ppbv°°

Controls

9

p > 0.05

[40]

Bajtarevic (2009)

Isoprene

LC

220

81.5

ppb^∞

<

105.2

ppb^∞

Controls

441

p < 0.01

[41]

Acetone

458.7

ppb^∞

<

627.5

ppb^∞

p < 0.01

Methanol

118.5

ppb^∞

<

142.0

ppb^∞

p < 0.05

Buszewski (2012)

Acetone

LC

29

34.57-390.60

ppb°

?

44.20-531.45

ppb°

Controls

44

p < 0.05

[42]

Benzene

1.29-3.82

ppb°

?

1.38-14.97

ppb°

p < 0.05

Butanal

1.32-2.55

ppb°

>

1.35-1.87

ppb°

p < 0.01

2-Butanone

1.35-2.86

ppb°

?

1.35-3.18

ppb°

p < 0.01

Ethyl acetate

3.98-22.89

ppb°

>

1.12-8.22

ppb°

p < 0.01

Ethyl benzene

1.45-3.16

ppb°

?

2.22-18.38

ppb°

p < 0.01

2-Pentanone

3.25-8.77

ppb°

>

1.80-4.11

ppb°

p < 0.01

Propanal

1.56-3.74

ppb°

>

1.56-3.44

ppb°

p < 0.01

1-Propanol

4.37-13.15

ppb°

>

N.S.

ppb°

p < 0.01

2-Propanol

3.32-7.19

ppb°

>

3.21-4.17

ppb°

p < 0.01

2-Propenal

6.84-94.36

ppb°

>

5.10-9.57

ppb°

p < 0.05

Other VOCs

N.S.

ppb°

=

N.S.

ppb°

p > 0.05

Crohns (2009)

Pentane**

LC

11

1.73 (1.05-2.86)

ng/L^#

>

0.83 (0.61-1.13)

ng/L^#

Controls

30

p < 0.05

[43]

Fuchs (2010)

Pentanal**

LC

12

0.019 (0.011-0.031)

nmol/Lˆ

>

0.002 (0.000-0.011)

nmol/Lˆ

Controls

12

p < 0.05

[45]

Hexanal**

0.010 (0.008-0.026)

nmol/Lˆ

>

0.000 (0.000-0.001)

nmol/Lˆ

p < 0.05

Octanal**

0.052 (0.026-0.087)

nmol/Lˆ

>

0.011 (0.004-0.028)

nmol/Lˆ

p < 0.05

Nonanal**

0.239 (0.128-0.496)

nmol/Lˆ

>

0.033 (0.021-0.096)

nmol/Lˆ

p < 0.05

Acetaldehyde**, Propanal, butanal**, heptanal, decanal**

-

=

-

p > 0.05

Kischkel (2010)

Dimethyl sulphide**

LC

31

0.27 (0.00-0.27)

nmol/Lˆ

<

0.30 (0.00-0.31)

nmol/Lˆ

Controls

31

p < 0.01

[48]

Dimethyl formamide**

1855 (0.00-3340.88)

(counts)ˆ

>

0.00 (0.00-2954.13)

(counts)ˆ

p < 0.05

Butane**

0.00 (0.00-0.11)

nmol/Lˆ

>

0.18 (0.00-0.52)

nmol/Lˆ

p < 0.01

Butanal**

1.07 (0.38-3.51)

nmol/Lˆ

>

0.32 (0.00-1.40)

nmol/Lˆ

p < 0.001

Other VOCs (N = 38)

N.S.

N.S

p > 0.05

Poli (2005)

2-Methylpentane

NSCLC

36

139.5 (65.7-298.8)

10^-12Mˆ

>

27.7 (3.4-50.3)

10^-12Mˆ

Controls

50

p < 0.001

[57]

Pentane

647.5 (361.3-1112.5)

10^-12Mˆ

>

268.0 (107.7-462.7)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Ethylbenzene

24.0 (13.6-32.6)

10^-12Mˆ

>

13.6 (10.8-15.1)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.01

Xylenes

68.9 (43.6-108.4)

10^-12Mˆ

>

31.1 (21.1-56.4)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Trimethylbenzene

14.9 (9.3-22.1)

10^-12Mˆ

>

6.2 (4.7-11.0)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.01

Toluene

158.8 (118.7-237.5)

10^-12Mˆ

>

80.8 (58.9-140.0)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Benzene

94.5 (62.2-132.2)

10^-12Mˆ

>

44.7 (27.7-68.6)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Decane

568.0 (277.9-1321.6)

10^-12Mˆ

>

208.7 (14.3-405.5)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Octane

61.0 (22.4-112.9)

10^-12Mˆ

>

20.2 (4.0-50.8)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Pentamethylheptane

2.5 (1.2-9.7)

10^-12Mˆ

>

0.9 (0.1-2.6)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Isoprene, heptane, styrene

-

=

-

p > 0.05

Poli (2008)

2-Methylpentane

NSCLC (3 yrs after surgery)

10

87.9 (35.5-278.9)

10^-12Mˆ

>

27.7 (3.4-50.3)

10^-12Mˆ

Controls

50

p < 0.05

[58]

Pentane

1569.0 (497.9-3214)

10^-12Mˆ

>

268.0 (107.7-462.7)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Ethylbenzene

46.4 (38.6-90.9)

10^-12Mˆ

>

13.6 (10.8-15.1)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Xylenes

56.2 (38.9-80.4)

10^-12Mˆ

>

31.1 (21.1-56.4)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.05

Trimethylbenzene

15.3 (11.7-22.3)

10^-12Mˆ

>

6.2 (4.7-11.0)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Toluene

297 (202.6-297.0)

10^-12Mˆ

>

80.8 (58.9-140.0)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Pentamethylheptane

8.8 (2.2-15.2)

10^-12Mˆ

>

0.9 (0.1-2.6)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.001

Isoprene

678.9 (359.8-1111.0)

10^-12Mˆ

<

3789 (1399–6589)

10^-12Mˆ

p < 0.01

Benzene, Heptane, Octane, Styrene

-

=

-

p > 0.05

Preti (1988)

O-toluidine

LC

10

N.S

>

N.S

Controls

16

p < 0.05

[60]

Aniline

N.S

=

N.S

p > 0.05

Rudnicka (2011)

Propane

LC

23

3.19-9.74

ppb°

>

3.45-5.96

ppb°

Controls

30

p < 0.05

[61]

2-Propenal

N.S

?

N.S

p < 0.05

Carbon disulfide

N.S

?

N.S

p < 0.05

Isopropyl alcohol

N.S

?

N.S

p < 0.05

Ethylbenzene

1.45–3.16

ppb°

<

2.22–18.38

ppb°

p < 0.05

Styrene

N.S

?

N.S

p < 0.05

Other VOCs (N = 49)

N.S

=

N.S

p > 0.05

Skeldon (2006)

Ethane**

LC

12

0.7 (0–7.6)

ppb^~

=

1.9 (0–10.54)

ppb^~

Controls

12

p > 0.05

[62]

Song (2010)

1-Butanol**

NSCLC

43

6.36 (12.93)

ng/Lˆ

>

2.18 (2.06)

ng/Lˆ

Controls

41

p < 0.001

[63]

3-Hydroxy-2-butanone**

8.28 (11.52)

ng/Lˆ

>

1.29 (2.01)

ng/Lˆ

p < 0.001

Ulanowska(2011)

Ethanol**

LC

137

466.9 (12.8-1520.1)

ppb°°

>

188.5 (4.5-479.5)

ppb°°

Controls

86

p < 0.05

[65]

Acetone**

358.6 (112.3-2653.7)

ppb°°

>

225.7 (41.6-753.4)

ppb°°

p < 0.05

Butane**

90.3 (6.1-421.3)

ppb°°

>

56.2 (5.2-165.7)

ppb°°

p < 0.05

Dimethyl sulphide**

11.9 (6.3-18.5)

ppb°°

>

9.3 (5.3-19.3)

ppb°°

p < 0.05

Isoprene**

100.3 (19.2-295.5)

ppb°°

>

70.8 (19.5-200.5)

ppb°°

p < 0.05

Propanal**

7.8 (5.5-33.8)

ppb°°

>

6.9 (5.6-9.1)

ppb°°

p < 0.05

1-Propanol**

54.8 (5.4-473.3)

ppb°°

>

6.6 (N.S.)

ppb°°

p < 0.05

2-Pentanone**

7.5 (4.4-53.2)

ppb°°

>

4.8 (4.6-5.1)

ppb°°

p < 0.05

Furan**

4.7 (3.1-7.0)

ppb°°

>

3.7 (3.0-5.3)

ppb°°

p < 0.05

o-Xylene**

22.1 (7.6-95.2)

ppb°°

>

17.4 (6.2-30.8)

ppb°°

p < 0.05

Ethylbenzene**

19.6 (4.6-89.3)

ppb°°

>

10.4 (8.6-14.0)

ppb°°

p < 0.05

Other VOCs (N ≈ 20)

-

=

-

p > 0.05

Wehinger (2007)

Formaldehyde

PLC

17

7.0 (15.5)

ppbˆ

>

3.0 (1.9)

ppbˆ

Controls

170

p < 0.001

[66]

Propanol

244.1 (236.2)

ppbˆ

>

94.1 (55.2)

ppbˆ

p < 0.001

Isoprene

52.1 (26.7)

ppbˆ

<

81.8 (56.1)

ppbˆ

p < 0.01

Acetone, o-Toluidine

-

=

-

p > 0.05

Gennaro (2010)

Cyclohexane**

MPM

13

251.79 (84%)

ng/L^∂

>

33.08 (58%)

ng/L^∂

Controls

13

p < 0.05

[70]

Other VOCs (N = 19)

-

=

-

p > 0.05

Syhre (2009)

Methyl nicotinate

TB

10

N.S

>

N.S

Controls

10

p < 0.01

[80]

Chambers (2009)

2-Pentylfuran***

A. fumigatus

17

Sens: 77, Spec: 78

%

>

Not detected

Controls

14

N.S.

[71]

Kanoh (2005)

Ethane**

ILD

34

8.5 ± 8.0

pmol/dL*

>

2.9 ± 1.0

pmol/dL*

Controls

16

p < 0.001

[75]

Scholpp (2002)

Acetone

ARDS

13

50.0 (19.6-72.3)

nmol/Lˆ

=

33.2 (20.8-38.6)

nmol/Lˆ

Controls

10

p > 0.05

[81]

Isoprene

2.18 (1.1-3.89)

nmol/L^#

<

5.99 (3.53-8.45)

nmol/L^#

p < 0.05

n-Pentane

1.00 (0.26-1.72)

nmol/Lˆ

>

0.12 (0.10-0.16)

nmol/Lˆ

p < 0.05

n-Pentane

At risk ARDS

33

0.49 (0.30-0.99)

nmol/Lˆ

>

0.12 (0.10-0.16)

nmol/Lˆ

Controls

10

p < 0.05

Schubert (1998)

Acetone

ARDS

19

149 (113–485)

nmol/m^{2 ≈}

=

119 (52–270)

nmol/m^2≈

No ARDS

18

p > 0.05

[82]

Isoprene

9.8 (8.2-21.6)

nmol/m^{2 ≈}

<

21.8 (13.9-41.4)

nmol/m^2≈

p < 0.05

n-Pentane

4.2 (3.7-9.3)

nmol/m^{2 ≈}

=

5.1 (1.4-18.6)

nmol/m^2≈

p > 0.05